I remember the days you could walk up to a Cavs game and grab lower bowl tickets from a scalper for $10.

Sitting in the light blue seats, you could hear individual voices from other sections of the stadium. You didn't have to sit courtside to jaw at the refs or players. Heckling was a sport for the cheap seats.

The lack of fan support was a direct result of the poor product on the court. For example, by banging the ball off his own rim in an attempt to achieve a triple-double, Ricky Davis officially became Bush League commissioner. Then LeBron James happened. You know the rest.

It's incredible how the franchise has changed. The most pathetic, mismanaged team in the league is now a title contender. And this year, it wields a weapon no draft or free agent class can provide.

The Cavaliers unveiled that weapon at Rhodes Arena during a scrimmage a few weeks ago. They have visited campus the past three preseasons. This time, talking to and watching the players, something is different.

A swagger drips off the players.

As a fan of Northeast Ohio sports, you may be unfamiliar with this concept. A swagger is the quiet confidence that accompanies winners. It doesn't slap you in the face, but it certainly makes itself known.

It developed May 17, 2006.

Enter Game Five of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Not one pundit thought the young, mistake-prone Cavaliers could win a game at the Palace of Auburn Hills, a venue at which the Detroit Pistons boasted a 47-4 record last season. They did.

"They aren't the Big Bad Wolf, and we aren't the Three Little Pigs," James said after the game. "We're all grown men, and we know we can beat them."

Swagger. Defined.

The Cavaliers lost games six and seven. Regardless, May 17 forever changed the franchise.

The Cavaliers now have a different look in their eyes. Their body language says, "We want it all and we deserve it." Last year, it was "It would be nice for a chance in the playoffs."

Showing that May 17 was no fluke, Cleveland won in San Antonio on Friday for the first time since 1988. With Tim Duncan back healthy, the Spurs are a favorite to win the NBA Finals.

"For us to become one of the powerhouses in the league, which we have been preaching, we've got to go out there and walk the walk," James said after the game.

Come on. You must understand the swagger by now.

Along with the Cavaliers' new weapon, coach Mike Brown implemented a motion offense that the team sorely needed in the 2006 playoffs. It's no longer acceptable for James to dribble out the shot clock and hoist a 3-pointer. Rather, you'll see a rejuvenated Larry Hughes curl off screens.

So take a look around the NBA Eastern Conference and tell me who can stop the Cavaliers. The aging Heat? The Ben Wallace-less Pistons? The superstar-less Bulls?

Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets are the only team, in my opinion, who can stop Cleveland. But remember the swagger. With it, it's unwise to bet against the Cavaliers to win it all.